


just for this moment

by poplarstreet



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Angst, Different version of the meteor scene, F/M, Paul doesn't know what he's getting into, Singing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 01:44:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21420151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poplarstreet/pseuds/poplarstreet
Summary: In the beginning, Paul never wanted anything. He was content with his life, boringly so.The hive couldn’t get to him. They needed a way in, a way to break into his mind.In other words: Paul just wants to find happiness now, and the hive knows just the person who can convince him that happiness won’t come until his fall.
Relationships: Paul Matthews & Emma Perkins, Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53





	just for this moment

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! this was inspired mainly by an amazing piece of art on tumblr, I'll put the link in the bottom notes! 
> 
> feel free to leave kudos/comments below, feedback is always welcome :)
> 
> song title is from 'as long as you're mine' from the wicked soundtrack

"Join us, Paul. We finally found what it is you want, and we can give it to you. You’ll be happy just like the rest of us."

“No, no, Mr. Davidson didn’t want to become a mindless alien slave. He wanted to be choked by his wife while he jerked off! And..it doesn’t matter what I want.”

“I think it _does,_ Paul.” This voice came from behind him, the sugary-sweet tone coming off as sinister and cruel.

Paul turned quickly, stumbling on his feet and praying that his ears had deceived him. That it was the Greenpeace girl again, or that Emma’s boss happened to sound exactly like someone who _wasn’t supposed to be here._ He heard rather than let free a small, broken gasp as his whole chest burned, either from the spore-infested air or the terror crawling through his body.

It was Emma. 

Her eyes were empty of pain despite the gaping wound now oozing blue, the stark contrast between her and the person he’d left behind. 

“We saved her, Paul. She would have died after you abandoned her,” Emma’s boss hissed, and Paul felt guilt strike alongside the pain and dread. She was right, Paul had failed Emma just like he failed Charlotte, just like Bill.

“I had no choice,” he whispered, unable to tear his eyes away from Emma. Once she got close enough to touch him, she slid one of her hands into his, letting the other linger on his chest before smoothly turning out of his reach. It was all too graceful for someone with a leg like hers, but she moved like she couldn't feel the pain. From the corners of his eyes Paul could see her movements mirrored in the others.

“You could have done something,” Mr. Davidson said, false honey coating his voice, trapping flies in its wake. “But your mistakes have been rectified.”

“What do you want, Paul?” 

Paul’s heart dropped.

He wanted to scream, to run, to do anything, but he felt frozen in horror. Emma’s grin stayed plastered on as she continued to sing. “Don’t you want to be with me?”

“You aren’t her,” Paul said, trying to make his voice strong as it shook without his will. He was determined to shut this down, to end this before it could even start. His hand felt for the bombs strapped to his chest as if to remind him of what he needed to do.

Emma’s movements began to change from the rest of the pack as she stopped singing to instead talk. “Why not? I have all of her memories. I know how much she liked you, how long she wished to be by your side. And now you can fulfill that wish.”

Dread swirled low in Paul’s stomach as he realized what Emma had been doing as she moved. She had placed herself directly in front of the meteor. Sending him a smirk, she began to sing again. “Will you really betray me a second time? Please, just choose to follow in our rhyme. I’ll be by your side, you won’t have to be alone anymore.”

And for a split second, Paul felt desire hit him like a bullet. It was fierce and strong, not his own, and he tried to overcome it, yelling out “Never!”

But his words didn’t come out in a yell. It came out as a song. 

Paul tried to pull his hands down from where they were suddenly raised, but they moved on their own accord to his hips in a twisted dance. He managed to stop, the urge to join thudding menacingly through every part of him. “What was that?” 

Emma began to sing again, the words failing to register with Paul. He was solely focused on another horrid detail- she wasn’t alone. Music was playing, somehow, along with her song. It didn’t seem to have an origin or an end, only a continuous noise in Paul’s head.

Her eyes bore into his, their emptiness reflecting nothing as she sang. "And just for this moment, as long as you're mine,” The song felt familiar even though Paul had never heard it before. The melody seemed to resonate in his bones, but he felt no urge to sing. 

"I've lost all resistance, and crossed some border line. And if it turns out,” she pressed herself farther away from Paul, onto the meteor, "It's over too fast,” 

Closing his fist around the bombs even harder, Paul tried to find a way to get his fingers to take it off and pull the pin.

Nothing worked. 

"I'll make every last moment last, as long as you're mine,” she sang, and suddenly Paul felt his body jerk forward. 

"Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise,” he head himself sing, his grip on the bomb loosening before his hands dropped completely.

Emma smiled wickedly, her grin still causing that familiar sweaty feeling in his palms. "But you've got me seeing through different eyes,” he sang, his head feeling fuzzy. He couldn’t quite remember what was so bad about singing anymore. In fact, nothing seemed to matter anymore other than singing.

"Somehow I've fallen, under your spell,” he matched her smile hesitantly. There was a faint feeling under his skin, crawling in him, that said that this was bad. Paul did his best to push it away.

"And somehow I'm feeling, it's up that I fell,” he was delighted to see Emma leaving the meteor, placing one hand in his and the other on the side of his shoulder. The hive didn’t think that Paul wanted to hurt her anymore.

His other hand found her waist, and they began to dance among the destruction. 

"Just for this moment, as long as you're mine, come be how you want to and see how bright we shine,” Paul wanted to feel the joy he knew the hive promised him, but he felt the feeling again. It come back again as they sang together, that terrible feeling that said he didn’t want this. But he did. This was what he wanted. 

"Borrow the moonlight, until it is through, and know I’ll be here holding you,” 

Emma pulled on Paul’s tie so he was low enough to kiss. As she pressed her lips to his, smiling through the kiss, he felt a sudden rush of relief as the bad feelings in him dissipated. It was a wonderful feeling, being truly apart of the hive. "As long as you're mine,” they finished strongly, Paul’s hand on her back as he pulled her close.

When he pulled away, Emma tilted her head slightly at him. "What is it?” 

Paul smiled. "It's just, for the first time, I feel… happy.”

**Author's Note:**

> ouch  
here's the link for really cool art that sparked this:  
https://sliceofmaggpie.tumblr.com/post/185558536500/prompt-during-let-it-out-rather-than-bill#notes
> 
> also my reasoning behind why Paul fell so quickly was 1. he just really wanted to be happy (which is so sad oof) but also that 2. he is super close to the meteor and that speeds up the process


End file.
